SES | Doctoral Program structure at UTL/FCUL

At the Technical University of Lisbon, SES PhD students have the opportunity to build a diversified curriculum with Economics and Policy courses at the Economy and Management School (ISEG-Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão) and Environment, Technology, and Systems courses at the Engineering School (IST: Instituto Superior Técnico, and/or the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (FCUL). The objective is to provide students with a solid knowledge framework to analyze the economic and social impacts of new technology and policy in the development of emerging energy systems.

Students develop research work in the areas of Energy Systems Planning, Sustainable Built Environment, and Smart Grids, under the supervision of faculty from different backgrounds, such as Economics and Management at ISEG, or Mechanical, Civil, and Environmental Engineering at IST and FCUL. Research topics cover national, EU, regional or local energy planning, end-use energy demand, renewable resources integration, emissions and energy markets, microgeneration, urban metabolism, smart grids and vehicle transportation. Research includes work on the Green Islands and Sustainable Urban Energy Systems projects, which offer real-world case studies to test the research results.

Each student in the Doctoral Program creates a unique curriculum to fulfill her/his individual interests. Apart from the two mandatory courses, Seminar I and Seminar II (M), the student is allowed to choose from a pool of 17 optional courses (O) under the supervision of a faculty member, in order to complete 48 to 60 credits (ECTS).

Course Description

Introduction to Economics

1st Semester, Mandatory/Optional (must choose one of the two M/O), 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Isabel Mendes – Assistant Professor, Dept. Economics, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• Introduction
• Consumer theory
• Business theory
• Markets
• General equilibrium

Learning outcomes

This course aims to provide a solid foundation in microeconomics to those students whose background is not extensive in economics or business administration. Since most students will have taken introductory courses in these subjects, this program expands on previous knowledge through exposure to key economic theories as well as the mathematical and graphic application of economic theories.

Introduction to Engineering

1st Semester, Mandatory/Optional (must choose one of the two M/O), 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Carlos Silva - Assistant Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

• Energy and power
  • Different kinds of energy
  • Units
  • Energy sources
• Electrical energy
  • Electric charge and electric current
  • Electric and magnetic fields
  • Law of induction
• How does an electrical generator work
• Fundamental principles of thermodynamics
  • Introduction to thermodynamical cycles
  • Thermal equipment

Learning outcomes

With this course, students gain substantive knowledge of the following topics: types, units, and sources of energy; electrical energy; electrical charge and chain; electric and magnetic fields; the general law of induction; electrical generation equipment; the main laws of thermodynamics; an introduction to thermodynamic cycles; thermal equipment; the main laws of mechanics; an introduction to cinematic and dynamic mechanical systems; definition of systems; and modulation, identification and systems control.

Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment

1st Semester, Mandatory, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Manuel Pacheco Coelho - Assistant Professor, Dept. Economics, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• The economy of natural resources
  • Basic model for the management of a renewable resource
  • Model dynamics and optimum control
  • The ‘tragedy of commons’ and the problem of property rights
  • Biodiversity and the risk of species extinction
  • Hotelling rule and the optimum management of non-renewable resources
• Environmental Economics
  • Externalities and the ‘anatomy of the failed market’
  • Valorization of environmental goods
  • Economy of the pollution
  • Uncertainty, irreversibility and precaution
• Case studies

Learning outcomes

This course focuses on the problems of natural resources management. Students learn to determine and substantiate the criteria that must be met to optimize resource use; explain the agent behaviors regarding the production and use of resources accounting for different market structures; establish representative behavior typologies regarding different institutional frameworks; and identify the politics and institutional frameworks that promote the efficient management of resources.

Econometrics

1st Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Isabel Proença - Assistant Professor, Dept. Mathematics, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• Introduction to econometrics
• The Linear Regression Model
• Functional Form Misspecification
• Heteroskedasticity and Autocorrelation
• Univariate Time Series Models
• Multivariate Time Series Models
• Models based on Panel Data

Learning outcomes
This course aims to introduce the main concepts and techniques of econometrics. It addresses the  theoretical foundations of econometrics and,  simultaneously, provides tools to correctly conduct empirical studies with economic data on energy problems.  Applications with cross-section, time-series and panel data will be considered.

Energy Systems Economics and Modeling

1st Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Carlos Silva – Assistant Professor, Dept. Engineering, IST/UTL
Álvaro Martins – Full Professor, Dept. Economics, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• Introduction to Energy Economics
• Energy Demand 
• Energy Supply
• The coal, oil and natural gas markets 
• Electricity
• Energy and the Environment 
• Fuels and Technologies for the Future 
• The TIMES model

Learning outcomes
This course intends to introduce to the students the main concepts that will be necessary to do integrated assessments of the energy sector and its relations with the environment in what gaseous emissions are concerned.
This course discusses energy demand and supply, the energy markets, price formation, the Reference Energy Systems adequate for modeling, the economics of the main technologies. Policies that influence the energy sector and emissions, such as taxes, regulation, feed-in-tariffs and green certificates will be discussed as well as models to assist decision makers.

Risk Management

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Carlos Pereira da Silva -  Full Professor, Dept. Management, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• International energy markets in a financial perspective: risk exposure, futures, futures curves and their implications for hedgers.
• Risk models for the energy markets: behavior of the futures curve, the volatility of the energy prices, the volatility and the risks inherent to futures options.
• The derivatives as a model for securing energy risk: risk and tolerance, determinants for derivatives structure, comparing OTC and NIMEX, financial instruments in the energy sector.
• Managing the risk associated with credit: risk profile elaboration, fiscal systems and risk management, assessing the risk of nations.
• Managing operational risk: definition and determinants of operational risk, management of supply risk, contractual strategies, management of accidents, measuring operational risks.
• Managing the risk associated with pollutant gas emissions: market analysis, risk determinants, securing emission risks.

Learning outcomes

Risk management in the energy sector is increasingly relevant. Students will consider the uncertainty factors prevailing at an international level, with an emphasis on the political instability in critical fuel supply regions, the level of fossil fuel reserves, and the sophistication of the energy markets. They will develop an integrated understanding of the risk implicit in decision making.

Energy, Environment and Sustainability

1st Semester, Mandatory , 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes - Full Professor, FEUP – DEMEGI / IDMEC – UEAEAC

Main topics

• Overall energy resource assessment
• Overview of energy use
• Sustainability, energy and clean technologies, in context
• International efforts and its response issues
• LCA principles and tools; analysis of LCA conducted for different energy conversion technologies
• LCA of energy systems, environmental implications of systems integration
• Energy supply and use
• Energy efficient technologies
• Design of sample sustainable energy systems

Learning outcomes

To develop students’ background knowledge on critical issues such sustainability, environment and energy in order to make them more comfortable when dealing with more specific themes related to energy conversion, use and management. The emphasis is on a systems approach.

Energy in Transportation

1st Semester, Optional , 4.5 ECTS
Lecturer: Tiago Farias, Associate Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

• The role of transports in the global energy and environment problem
• Propulsion systems and fuels used in road transportation
• Pollutant emission in road vehicles
• Environmental rules: past, present and future
• Processes of pollutant reduction and control.
• Numerical models for estimating fuel consumption and pollutant emissions from transportation vehicles
• Propulsion systems and fuels used in rail transportation systems
• Propulsion systems and fuels used in water transportation systems
• Propulsion systems and fuels used in air transportation systems
• Alternative propulsion and fuels in transportation

Learning outcomes

The student will be able to assimilate new information regarding propulsion systems, formation of pollutant emissions, control and reduction of emissions, as well as available software used to estimate the environmental performance of different types of transportations vehicles in each of the different sectors (road, rail, water and air). New technologies, alternative fuelled vehicles, new propulsion systems including hybrids, plug ins, fuel cells and hydrogen are also addressed. Well to Wheel analysis concerning new energy solution is addressed.

Energy Management

1st Semester, Optional, 4.5 ECTS
Lecturer: Miguel Águas, Associate Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

• Primary energy sources and energy prices
• Energy demand
• Primary energy and final energy: the concept of toe as the basic unit of primary energy
• The hydrogen economy
• Energy intensity and its environmental consequences
• The carbon markets
• Analytical modeling complex energy systems, making use of:
  • Block diagrams for unit process representation, complex system modeling making use of block diagrams in series, in parallel and feed-back systems
  • Energy input-output tables: the facility of modeling complex systems including feedback and recycling
• Implementation of analytical models to different case studies
• Gas, coal, electric and liquid fuels boilers: proper use of steam for energy transfer, steam distribution and maintenance
• Lightning: illumination requirements, recommended levels of light availability, types of light sources
• Thermal insulation design
• Heat pumps
• Systems integration for promoting the most rational use of energy: cogeneration and equipment integration
• The use of hydrogen as an energy vector; fuel cells.

Learning outcomes

To provide the Mechanical Engineer with the knowledge and the tools required to understand and model the energy fluxes in industrial systems, buildings or complex equipment, in order to make him capable of optimizing energy use, as well as quantifying the environmental and economic benefits associated to these actions.

Seminar I

The goal of the Doctoral Seminar is to bring together students and faculty from Porto, Coimbra, IST, and FCUL to learn about each other’s’ research and more generally to learn about research methodologies and presentation skills. We hope that each student will finish the doctoral seminar with a clear understanding of how to ask a good research question, conduct a literature review, create testable hypotheses, and design a research project.

Presentations by faculty and invited speakers will focus on research methodologies. Furthermore research topics in which faculty of IST, University of Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra are involved in, will be discussed. Guest speakers from the energy industry/business sector will present their innovative projects.

Learning outcomes

The Doctoral Seminar aims at helping students to formulate their research topic and choose a Faculty Advisor.

During the Spring semester, each student will make a research statement, conduct a literature review about the research topic, write a short (10 page) paper proposal (which maybe also be his/her thesis area), and make a final presentation during Doctoral Seminar II, at the end of the term.

Main topics

• Research methodologies
• Urban metabolism
• Multiobjective scenarios
• Shell on the long-term prospects for fossil fuels
• European energy planning and regulations
• Industrial ecology
• Climate change economics

Learning outcomes

Through seminars given by invited speakers, students will be introduced to topics that are a complement to their studies, as well as information about other research centers’ R&D projects and projects that are being developed by industry.

Regulation Theory

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Filomena Garcia (Assistant Professor, Dept. Management, ISEG/UTL )

Main topics

Economic regulation

• Regulation of the natural monopolies
• Sector regulation
• Auctions and public companies
• Deregulation
• Regulatory systems
• Regulation by profit taxes and price cap
• Ramsey prices and peak-load pricing
• Principles of the regulatory activity

Organization and regulation of the energy sector

• Liberalization of the energy markets
  • Determinants and implications of market structures
  • Models of organization and strategies of market operators
  • Liberalization and new sector economic regulation

• Regional markets: an intermediate step between national and unique electricity markets
• MIBEL:
  • Institutional framework
  • Market dynamics
  • Restructuring of the economic agents and its implications in regulation
  • Future trends in energy markets

Learning outcomes

Several activities that are essential to life in society are subject to formal regulation. This is the case, for example, of telecommunications, electricity and natural gas distribution, transportation, and water treatment and supply. With this course, students will understand the theory of economic regulation as well as the optimum regulatory theories that are analyzed within the framework of the nature of the regulated companies. Some case studies of the energy and environmental sectors will be analyzed.

Ecological Economics

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Tiago Domingos - Assistant Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

Ecological Microeconomics

• The allocation system; the hypotheses of economic modeling: rational economic behavior; analysis of indifference curves; budget constraints; individual demand curve; consumer surplus; market demand; interaction between supply and demand
• Leontieff production function; input-output matrices and graph theory; ‘embodiment’ analysis
• Criticisms of the neoclassical models of the consumer and the producer
• Institutional and evolutionary economics; game theory; social traps; ‘prisoners’ dilemma

Valuation

• Economic valuation market prices; built market techniques; ecological valuation; systems energy analysis; life cycle assessment; ecological footprint; MIPS

Ecological Macroeconomics

• Complementarity vs. substitutability of natural and built capital; sustainability criteria
• National accounting systems; social welfare; Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare; Index of Human Development
• Discount; intertemporal efficiency conditions; growth theory; dynamic constrained optimization; Environmental Kuznets Hypothesis; economic growth with environmental constraints

Learning outcomes

Understand an integrated approach to environmental and sustainable development problems, integrating a biophysical analysis based on the laws of thermodynamics and on ecological science, using the tools of economic analysis.

Renewable Energy and Resources

2nd Semester, Mandatory, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: António Sarmento - Associate Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

• Renewable energy resources: solar energy, hydro energy, wind energy, ocean energy (tidal and waves), geothermal energy
• Origin and physical characterization
• Geographical distribution
• Time variation and seasonal distribution
• Statistical characterization

Learning outcomes

The problem of sustainable energy, as it relates to the increasing scarcity of fossil fuels and climatic changes resulting from their combustion, has heightened interest in the use of the renewable energies. With this course, students will be able to characterize renewable energy resources, especially solar energy, hydro energy, wind energy, energy from the oceans and geothermal energy, from the points of view of their origin, quantification and geographic distribution, time variation and statistical characterization.

Optimization of Energy Systems

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Carlos Silva - Assistant Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL
João Sousa (Associated  Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL)

Main topics

• Optimization problems
• Unconstrained optimization; gradient-based methods; constrained optimization
• Linear programming; quadratic programming; nonlinear programming; sequential quadratic programming
• Dynamic programming; Integer programming; branch-and-bound algorithms
• Convex and non-convex optimization
• Distributed optimization; distributed dynamic programming; synchronous and asynchronous methods
• Gradient-based distributed optimization; parallel search algorithms; multidimensional distributed optimization
• Introduction to meta-heuristics; taboo search; genetic algorithms; swarm optimization; biologically inspired meta-heuristics: ant colony optimization and swarm wasps optimization; implementation in distributed problems
• Applications of energy optimization

Learning outcomes

The main objective is to supply the students with the basics of optimization systems. Students learn how to formulate typical optimization problems, especially in the energy field. Beyond traditional techniques, meta-heuristics will also be addressed, including the very recent meta-heuristics inspired in biologic agents.

Energy Systems Integration

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Mário Costa - Associated  Professor, Dept. Mechanical Engineering, IST/UTL

Main topics

• Methods for local energy demand characterization
• Methods for energy supply characterization
• Methods for local energy demand forecasting
• Characterization of main energy technologies (cooling, electricity and heat)
• Methods and tools for energy systems integration
• Micro-generation, cogeneration and trigeneration
• Laws and regulations for local energy production
• Optimization of integrated energy systems

Learning outcomes

The main objective consists of the analysis of intelligent energy systems, through the integration of different energy technologies, for the three main energy vectors: cooling, electricity and heat. Students should acquire knowledge in energy systems design, with special emphasis on technology and technologic solutions integration, including micro-generation, cogeneration and trigeneration, considering the laws and regulations for local energy production.

Nuclear Energy

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Carlos Varandas - Full Professor, Dept. Physics, IST/UTL

Main topics

• Introduction: fission and fusion nuclear reactions; advantages of nuclear energy

• Conventional Nuclear Energy: problems with the conventional nuclear energy; evolution of the conventional nuclear fission power plants

• Nuclear Fusion: introduction; types of confinement; evolution and perspectives of R&D; advantages of nuclear fusion; economic and sociological aspects of the safety and the environmental impact of nuclear energy

Learning outcomes

Students will learn the basis for an economic and sociological analysis of nuclear energy, taking into account the environmental and safety aspects of the evolution of R&D activities. Particular emphasis will be put on nuclear fusion, a new clean technology that is safe, presents almost unlimited resources, and is economically attractive.

Projects Evaluation and Externalities

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Muradali Ibrahimo, Assistant Professor, Dept. Economics, ISEG/UTL
Elsa Fontainha, Assistant Professor, Dept. Economics, ISEG/UTL

Main topics

• Introduction to project evaluation
• Project evaluation techniques
• Economical analysis of projects
• Analysis of the impacts of projects externalities
• Risk assessment in project evaluation
• Case studies in the energy sector

Learning outcomes

This course provides students with investment project evaluation techniques and the calculation of relevant externalities for decision making. Theoretical formulations will be provided, together with the analysis of case studies, including financial and economic aspects, impact and risk assessment. The energy sector will be used as a reference.

Energy in Buildings

2nd Semester, Optional, 6 ECTS
Lecturer: Vítor Leal - Invited Assistant Professor, FEUP and IDMEC – UEAEAC

Main topics

• Introduction to energy in buildings
• Basics of Thermal Comfort
• Calculation of Thermal Loads
• Simulation tools: main physical and mathematical models and  dodelling issues
• Bioclimatic strategies
• Lighting and other electricity uses
• HVAC Equipments
• Integration of renewables into buildings
• Energy audits
  • Non-technical strategies to achieve energy-efficient buildings: the role of the regulations, labelling schemes, voluntary schemes,regulations, framework of European and Portuguese regulations, EPBD, SCE, RSECE and RCCTE

Learning outcomes

Students will become familiar with the concepts related to the thermal balance, energy use and energy efficiency of buildings; understand the methods for evaluating the energy demand of buildings and the planning process to achieve efficient solutions; become able to perform energy simulation and assessment of simple buildings; understand the main technologies of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting in buildings; learn the methodology, phases and expected outputs of energy audits in existing buildings; and become aware of the non-technical issues influencing the energy performance of buildings.

Seminar II

2nd Semester, Mandatory, 3 ECTS

Invited speakers from government, industry and academia will give presentations on various energy topics. Recent MIT and Portuguese PhD graduates will talk about their research experiences and outcomes. All SES PhD students present their research paper before faculty from MIT and Portugal.